<p>What is the usual way in which a teacher is selected/offered by the music school (undergraduate) after acceptance, given that decisions must be made quickly (by May 1) ?</p>
<p>The studio placement usually comes in the acceptance package, or, if not, then some mention of when that placement will be made is included. My son did not get a placement with his acceptance to NEC, but there may be only one teacher for his instrument; we will be calling to check on that because the information is a little foggy. When in doubt, call the department.</p>
<p>It varies by school. Some schools are quite clear about it in the acceptance package, some ask you to return a form listing your preferences and some will try to put you off until long after you have sent in a deposit. In many cases you can get them to make an assignment if you are insistent that your decision hinges upon having it. Sometimes it is better to go through the department and sometimes through the individual teacher if you are certain that that teacher is willing to advocate for you.</p>
<p>At Juilliard you list your three choices or indicate you will let them decide; when admitted, they tell you who the teacher is.</p>
<p>As the student/instructor pairing is so critical, I would not commit to attending with a valid and confirmed studio instructor that is acceptable. </p>
<p>I could not conceive of saying yes without an instructor assignment.</p>
<p>Violadad, I agree with you, but when D was accepted to Hartt last year, we were told that they would not make studio assignments until after all of the acceptances were in. They said they would take teacher requests into account and do the best they could, but no guarantees. Since she had applied to Hartt specifically to study with a particular teacher this was a real problem for her. She had been in contact with the teacher and thought she would be in his studio, but until the school commits you don't really know. It all worked out in the end, but I was really surprised they did it that way.</p>
<p>I agree with violadad. If you end up with a teacher that is just not a fit for you, it is very difficult to switch, and even if you can change teachers, it can cause alot of stress, bad feelings and even make your life miserable (within a sometimes very small, close-knit environment). A performance major's first and foremost priority has to be his or her teacher. If everything else about the school is excellent, that is a big plus. But the teacher is of utmost importance.</p>
<p>That's interesting StringMom, as my son had his studio assignment from Hartt in '02 with his acceptance letter. I'm now curious as to whether there has been a procedural change since son was a freshman, or if is instrument specific.</p>
<p>Unless one is aware and comfortable with a couple of instructor options within a school, I still would be hardpressed to be expected to make a committment to a school if they were unwilling to committ to naming the instructor. I just feel there's far too much at risk.</p>
<p>I'm glad it worked for your D.</p>
<p>My D is about to make her final decision. In reading the advice from the many bright, experienced and supportive posters on CC, many of whom have replied to this thread, she is basing her criteria on several factors. Obviously, she has to feel comfortable in the environment, we must be able to handle the financial aspects and performance opportunities (for a performance major) play into it. But in at the end, the training is what will help her reach her maximum potential. This is the primary objective. The person who has the biggest impact over this is your teacher. How can you possibly decide unless you know who you are going to train with? </p>
<p>We were told at all of the schools that she had to fill out a request form and they will "try" to get you your top choice. We did an end run and circumvented the process by meeting with the teachers and having them request that she be in their studio. I realize that this may not always work and can be difficult, especially if you are not near the school, but we succeeded in getting into the studio of choice. It is certainly worth a try. The faculty has a strong influence over the process and the best are in high demand.</p>
<p>When son was admitted to Eastman, we were told that they would not make a studio assignment until June. We were not happy with this. Son called the teacher directly and had to leave a message. When teacher called back, son was not home so I spoke with him. I very diplomatically stated that son was very interested in attending but that I would not send a deposit until we knew the studio assignment. Teacher said he would get back to us. He called the next day telling us that son would be in his studio. </p>
<p>I would definitely encourage contacting the studio directly and try working through the specific teacher. However, if the school is adamant about not not assigning studios until after they know their enrollment, you are kind of stuck. I understand this approach from the music school's perspective but it doesn't help the student at all. On the other hand, some schools have you audition for a specific studio and if you aren't accepted by that specific teacher you are out of luck even if someone else might have been interested in you.</p>